Personality tests are one effective way to learn more about your skill set, your work style, and how you interact with others. This doesn't mean the Facebook tests that tell you when you'll find your soul mate based on what you ate today. If you've taken a business class before, you've probably been exposed to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test or something similar. These tests are very common in the corporate world and though people debate how accurate the tests are, they are especially good if you want to develop a self-awareness about how you interact with others and engage with the world.
Below, I'm going to share 5 different personality tests that I have taken, how I scored, and why the test has value. Each one of these tests has played a role in my personal development by exposing a different part of my personality. By taking more and more of these tests, you can develop self-awareness and recognize patterns in your behavior that will help make you a better leader.
MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR
CLIFTONSTRENGTHS STRENGTHS FINDER
My Results: ENFJ or ESFJ
What The Results Mean: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (or MBTI) test breaks down personality into 4 binary categories. The first is introversion or extroversion (I or E) - my score in this category is E. The second category is sensing or intuition (S or N) -- in this category I go back and forth. I've taken the test multiple times and depending on what is going on in my life, sometimes I am more intuitive about the big picture, whereas other times I am extremely detail oriented and sense every tiny thing that goes on. The third category is thinking or feeling (T or F) and I am a feeler all the way! This means that I make decisions using emotion more so than logic or rationality. The fourth category is judging versus perceiving (J or P) and I am also a very strong J in this category. The J and P nomenclature is a bit outdated, but it mostly has to do with whether we prefer to live in a structured (J) or flexible (P) way.
How to Use this Test: One of the ways that I have used this test most when working in groups has to do with my Judging component. I know that I like very structured environments, going into meetings with a plan, and accomplished a certain amount within a certain time frame. If I am working with other people who have more of a P tendency, I know to account for this and to prepare for meetings in advance or take charge of establishing a schedule. Also, if I am working with others who are more introverted than myself, I use this to my advantage by making sure to ask for their input regularly and allowing for processing time before making big decisions.
Note: The above link is to a free version of this test, whereas you have to pay for the official test. When you take the official version of the test, you are given your results on a sliding scale, which is why I said that I am a very strong J, but I might sway back and forth between S and N because I hover near the middle of the scale.
CLIFTONSTRENGTHS STRENGTHS FINDER
My Results: Discipline, Empathy, Developer, Positivity, Achiever
What the Results Mean: When you take the Strengths Finder test, you are given your Top 5 strengths out of 34 total. I matched mostly to Discipline, which says that I require an orderly world and predictable schedules. Empathy means that I am good at sensing the emotions of people around me and anticipate the needs of others. Developer means that I see potential in others and want to help people achieve success. Positivity is an indication that I offer generous praise, celebrate achievements, and think positively of situations. Achiever is my fifth most prominent trait and it explains a constant need to achieve and accomplish something each and every day.
How to Use this Test: This test is great for helping broadly direct a career path or showing you what skills you are inherently good at. If you have the feeling of not knowing what to do with your life or that you don't have any skills, taking the Strengths Finder test can help you by highlighting some of your interpersonal capabilities. For example, I was not surprised to find out that I require discipline, but knowing that I am skilled at empathy and being a developer is beneficial because I can use that to my advantage when friends come to me for advice or when working with teammates. This is also helpful because it can guide me toward careers that would allow me to regularly practice empathy, positivity, and discipline.
Note: The version linked above is the official version, but you must pay to take the test. A similar free version of this kind of test can be found here.
PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS QUOTIENT ASSESSMENT
My Results: Mostly Effective (70) with Problem Areas in Being proactive and Seeking first to understand
What the Results Mean: The Personal Effectiveness Quotient (PEQ) comes from the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which I talked about here. This assessment produces a scoring system where below at 64 is "less effective," between 65-84 is "mostly effective," and above 85 is "highly effective." I scored in the middle with a raw score of 70. The median score is a 74.5. In some areas, such as Putting first things first, I scored very highly. Because I like to schedule my time, plan ahead, and set boundaries for myself when it comes to accepting commitments, this was not surprising to me. In other areas, such as Being proactive, I scored less highly. In this area, I tend to not enjoy confrontation, let situations and outside circumstance affect my productivity, and want to have control over everything. From my experience with other tests, I was also not shocked that I performed less well in these areas. My second problem area was Seeking first to understand. Although I have empathy for others emotions and want to develop people for success, I have the tendency to run with my own ideas when I think they are good and spend less time listening to the thoughts of others.
How to Use this Test: One of the most striking comments from this book is about how there is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. You might be very efficient and get a lot done in a short amount of time, but that does not always mean that you completed those tasks as effectively as possible. Taking this test gave me critical information about when I am efficient but not effective - namely, when I don't take the time to hear out other people's ideas and perspective because I am too caught up in my own idea. Knowing this has helped me to be more mindful of how I approach situations when I think I have the perfect answer. This test is not only helpful in a business setting, but also when dealing with friendships, family relationships, and personal growth.
Note: Be sure to copy the registration code to your clipboard so you can take the test for free!
DELOITTE BUSINESS CHEMISTRY
My Results: Integrator and Guardian
What the Results Mean: The consulting company Deloitte created a new type of personality test, which is used to evaluate team relationships among employees. But you don't have to work for Deloitte to take this test! Every person falls into one of the four Business Chemistry quadrants, while some people (like me) fall in between two. As an Integrator, I am relationship-oriented, empathetic (surprise!), and reluctant to create conflict. As a Guardian, I am methodical, loyal, and respect hierarchy and formal rules and structures.
How to Use this Test: This test is great for not only finding out about yourself, but also learning how to work well with others. By "creating a hunch" about someone, you answer a series of questions about how they behave and respond in various work settings, and as your result you are told both which of the four quadrants this person falls into and tips for interacting with this person effectively.
Note: This test was administered to me by a Deloitte team during one of my business classes at school, but you can find the same results from home. Make a free account for Business Chemistry. Once you get to the home page, you can self-assess by "creating a hunch" and answering the questions for yourself, instead of in relation to another person.
FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES
My Results: Words of Affirmation and Quality Time
What the Results Mean: The 5 Love Languages explains ways that people connect, and helps you figure out which ways you prefer to bond in relationships. For me, my top language is 'words of affirmation,' which means that I like receiving praise and compliments, and insults stick with me for a long time. For this love language, it is important that the compliments are given through someone's own doing, not because I told or asked them to. My secondary language is 'quality time,' or having someone's undivided attention for a period of time with no distractions or interruptions.
How to Use this Test: Though this test is designed mostly for romantic relationships, I think that it can easily be applied to other environments as well. For example, it really bothers me when I am working with a group and someone is not fully engaged in the project (simultaneously texting, working on another assignment, or surfing the web) -- and this translates to the whole 'quality time' language. I also really value when friends offer enthusiastic, honest, and encouraging words, especially when they are given spontaneously. If I am working on a team project, I like for my teammates to build me up in this way, and I simultaneously like to publicly acknowledge great ideas and hard work that my teammates put in as well.
Note: Whether you are using this test for help in your personal relationships or your professional ones, it is important to note that not everyone gives and receives "love" the same way. I might like offering compliments to a coworker because that is how I would like to receive "love," but maybe that coworker would prefer that I provide an act of service or bring them their favorite treat to the team meeting (receiving gifts). Additionally, you might have different preferences for giving and receiving love -- getting gifts was lower on my list of languages, but I absolutely love when I find the perfect gift for someone else and know that they will really like it!
Do you have a favorite personality test that isn't mentioned here? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
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